The Possibilities of Sainthood

In Donna Freitas' The Possibilities of Sainthood, Antonia is 15, and obsessed with two things - becoming the first living Catholic saint (it doesn’t matter what of; it changes monthly) and getting her first kiss, from Andy Rotellini. Several annoying factors conspire to thwart her plans, the first being an old, conservative Pope who doesn’t see the need for a Patron Saint of Fig Trees, dead or alive. Then there is her mother, the best Italian cook in Rhode Island and owner of a successful market who does her best to work Antonia right out of any sort of social life, and is constantly scandalized by Antonia’s attempt to “alter” her school uniform to attract Andy’s attention. Throw in an is-it-or-isn’t-it relationship of two years with her friend Michael and an upcoming Winter Formal dance (which Antonia is disallowed from attending by her mother), and it’s easy to see why she is petitioning the new, liberal Pope for her beatification as the Patron Saint of the First Kiss and Kissing. The character of Antonia perfectly represents the balance between faith and teenage hormones, sometimes subtly, and other times consciously in her hilarious letters to the Vatican. Religion plays a large part in this book, centering on Antonia’s fervent devotion to the saints, but in no way does the plot become preachy. Freitas captures the euphoria and delirium of first love, and the disillusionment and panic of first physical contact. Perhaps the only weaknesses in this novel are the rather one-dimensional characters outside of Antonia and her other love interest, Michael. Red flags include mildly suggestive dialog and situations, and a very liberal (though not sacrilegious) attitude towards the Catholic Church that some might find slightly flippant. Ages 12 +.

“With a satisfying ending, this novel about the realistic struggles of a chaste teen is a great addition to all collections.” —Starred, School Library Journal